1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cutting device for both reinforced and non-reinforced rubber hose, and more particularly to a fully enclosed blade that can be operated manually or pneumatically.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cutting devices generally employ a blade moving in a direction perpendicular to the workpiece wherein the blade severs the workpiece through a shearing action. It is important to secure the workpiece firmly during the cutting action to prevent the workpiece from twisting or shifting, which causes an uneven, ragged, and misdirected cut.
In the past, cutting devices have relied on complicated or cumbersome means to secure the workpiece during the cutting operation. Some devices merely rely on the force of the blade itself acting upon the workpiece to hold the workpiece against a curved or grooved surface. Examples of such prior art devices can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,579 to Matsumoto; U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,754 to Kloster; U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,212 to Cavdek; U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,496 to Reich et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,083 to Domonoske. Each of these references lacks means for positively retaining the workpiece in order to hold it steady relative to the cutting blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,780 to Green discloses a complex chain and lock mechanism which secures, spears, and shears a cable. The securing mechanism of Green requires that the chain link mechanism be tightened with a wrench to securely engage the workpiece.
Blade distortion is another problem that exists with prior art cutting devices. Prior art cutting devices allow the blade too much freedom to flex and bend. The flexing and bending put undue stress on the blade resulting in shorter blade life, and unexpected breakage.
Nowhere in the prior art is the problem of accessibility to the blade for removal and replacement addressed. For example, the Domonoske reference fully encloses the blade within the housing, yet fails to disclose any means for accessing the blade other than completely disassembling the cutting device. In addition, the blade is operated by means of a spring force. Therefore, when replacing a blade, a user must be extremely cautious in that the blade must be set against a spring located within the housing of the cutting device. It is extremely difficult to replace the blade in a spring loaded position wherein the possibility of releasing the spring tension and actuating the blade is highly likely. The housing portions must be disconnected, the blade removed, the new blade inserted with the spring loaded, and reconnecting the housing portions.
None of the prior art devices provides means for removing scrap without manually reaching into the cutting mechanism and risking contact with the knife blade or merely relying on the force of gravity to remove the scrap from the cutting device.
What is needed is a cutting device that fully encloses the blade for maximum safety to the user, allows safe and easy blade replacement without completely disassembling the housing, and automatically removes any scrap from the cutting apparatus without the need to manually reach into the device to remove scrap.